


Right Before The Summer

by VictoriaMasson



Category: Dreamer Trilogy - Maggie Stiefvater, Raven Cycle - Maggie Stiefvater
Genre: Adam and Ronan are parents, Canon Compliant, College, College Student Adam Parrish, Domestic, Domestic Fluff, Jealous Ronan Lynch, Jealousy, M/M, Opal (a Raven Cycle Story), Tumblr Prompt, basically just a few scenes that could have happened in Opal (a Raven Cycle Story), brief brief brief mention of Robert Parrish, pynch - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-14
Updated: 2020-07-14
Packaged: 2021-03-04 23:54:05
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,874
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25254946
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/VictoriaMasson/pseuds/VictoriaMasson
Summary: Adam has his admissions interview for Harvard right before the summer begins and Ronan just wants to make sure it goes well.
Relationships: Ronan Lynch/Adam Parrish
Comments: 4
Kudos: 96





	Right Before The Summer

**Author's Note:**

> Written to fulfill Tumblr prompts - Domestic Pynch with Opal & slight Jealous Ronan Lynch :)
> 
> I teetered back and forth on the "Teen & Up" or "Mature" rating. I stuck with Teen & Up as nothing is explicit, just implied, but just wanted to add a warning for mild language and mild sexual content.
> 
> Enjoy!

Adam had grown accustomed to leaving his phone on silent while at work. It never really bothered him much, the panic of last fall having died down. His friends were safe and could usually wait until he got off for him to reply to their messages.

However, ever since he began applying to all of his top choice schools – the urge to constantly check his phone was as irritating as it was disappointing. He would slide it out of his pocket at each buzz, his heart leaping only to trip steady again when he saw it was only Gansey or Ronan – or sometimes _Scam Likely_.

Finally after a month of this distress, he decided to go back to his original habit of silencing his phone. If someone of import called, they would leave a message and that would have to be good enough. He still felt dreadful when he would check his phone after work and see that no new numbers had tried to reach out, but it was getting easier to push it to the wayside as the days went on.

Especially with summer just around the corner, and with it, the promise of the warm sun shining down on the crawling black of Ronan’s tattoo, his slender but strong hands on Adam’s body, and the comfort of the Barns welcoming him home in a way no where else had managed before.

After work one day, he made his way towards the shitbox – he’d pretty much given up on trying to call it anything else – and resolutely refused to check his phone. He was meant to be having a night in with Ronan and didn’t want to sully his mood before he even got there.

Walking up the front porch, he noticed Opal making her way excitedly across the fields. Her entire front was covered in mud, as if she’d tripped in it and hadn’t bothered to brush it off when she got back up. She rushed into his legs, hugging tightly and dirtying his jeans. She seemed to be in a better mood today, much to the misfortune of his clothes.

“Shit, Opal, seriously?” Adam looked up to see Ronan leaning against the doorframe, his expression hard as he leveled Opal with disapproving glare. “Look what you did to his pants. Get in here and go wash up, now. Serio.” Opal actually did what she was told, her good mood making her infinitely more agreeable than usual.

Adam watched her trot into the house, after scuffing her hooves against the welcome mat. He heard Ronan warn her to tread through the house lightly, so as not to knock any of the caked mud onto the floor.

Adam tried to brush off some of the mess on his own pants but figured it a lost cause. He made his way up the steps, feeling Ronan’s intense gaze on him like a brand. He didn’t think he’d ever get used to the intensity of Ronan’s attentions. Before they were an item, Ronan had chosen his moments of watching carefully – and they’d been few and far between. Now, though, Ronan was free to look all he liked and Adam loved every unembellished minute of it.

Ronan grabbed ahold of one of Adam’s belt loops in lieu of stepping to the side so he could enter the house. Adam let himself be pulled in, the stress of the day finally subsiding as Ronan brushed his lips over Adam’s in a chaste kiss.

Adam let out a shaky breath as Ronan dragged his nose past his jaw and further down his neck, pulling him into a hug. Adam followed suit and let himself rub his face over the exposed skin where Ronan’s neck met his shoulder, inhaling deeply. Ronan always smelled of rainwater and burning coals – the two shouldn’t marry, being so different, but they did on Ronan’s skin and the result was pure, earthy, and perfect.

Ronan released Adam but not before kissing him lightly behind his ear and taking his own sharp inhale. He leaned out of Adam’s space to meet his eyes.

“You stink.” Ronan said, grinning wickedly. Adam couldn’t help but let out an amused groan, pushing Ronan aside to enter the house.

“Asshole.” Adam muttered before sniffing himself – it _had_ been a long day. “I’m gonna go shower.”

“Be quick, dinner’ll be ready in ten.” Ronan was heading back to the kitchen before Adam could reply. His curiosity got the better of him and he followed Ronan instead of taking the turn for the stairs leading to the bathroom. When he made it there, Ronan was checking on whatever was in the oven and Adam realized for the first time how aromatic the air in the house was – the savory scent wafting stronger when Ronan had opened the door to check on it.

“You’re making dinner?” Adam asked skeptically, it wasn’t that Adam hadn’t seen Ronan cook before. It was just that usually he ‘ _has better things to do, Parrish_ ’ and so it was surprising that Ronan had elected to spend the night in the kitchen.

Ronan turned on his heel and grabbed a tomato from the counter, tossing it carelessly to Adam, who barely managed to catch it. Adam threw Ronan an exasperated look before examining the tomato. There was something off about it, the color wasn’t quite right and the texture was firmer than he thought it ought to be. He brought it to his face and could smell fresh basil, pungent and mouth-watering. This was a dream object.

“Dream tomatoes? Really?” Ronan’s smile was dangerous, it was all teeth and amusement, and he shrugged.

“It’s saltier than regular tomatoes too, the perfect ingredient for marinara sauce. We’re having lasagna.” Ronan explained and Adam eyed him before throwing the tomato just as haphazardly back to Ronan – who caught it easily, the bastard.

“I don’t know how I feel about your dream objects being inside of me.” Adam said before he could think better of it.

Sure enough, Ronan cocked a single eyebrow and leered at him, and Adam felt his face heating up.

“No! Nope. Don’t you dare say whatever is going on in that mind of yours right now. I’m gonna shower.” Adam escaped, hearing the sound of Ronan’s boisterous laughter behind him.

The lasagna was delicious, not that Adam was surprised considering Ronan had used magic tomatoes. Even Opal sat with them and ate it, humming in approval. Of course, Opal also ate trash, so it’s not as though one could trust her culinary opinions. After dinner, they settled in the living room. Opal was gnawing on the coffee table, and not wanting to argue, Ronan and Adam pointedly ignored it to watch the movie they’d picked instead.

Halfway through the movie, Adam realized he had yet to check his phone since before work. He threw the quilt blanket off of him and pulled his legs off of Ronan’s lap, where Ronan had been idly rubbing his thumb in small circles on Adam’s bony ankle. Adam stood unsteadily after spending so long in the same position and retrieved his phone where he’d thrown it on the bed before showering.

On his way back, he looked at the screen, pausing mid-walk in the doorway to the room when he noticed the missed call and voicemail from a number with a Massachusetts area code. There’s only one school he’d applied to in MA, but there was no way he was actually getting a call from Harvard right?

Ronan had paused the movie and was chewing on his leather bracelets as he waited for Adam to fill him in. When Adam stayed silent too long, still stunned. Ronan huffed audibly.

“What’s up, Parrish?”

Adam shook himself out of it and finished his trek to the couch, falling on it ungracefully. He showed his phone screen to Ronan, who squinted at it briefly before turning a blank stare at Adam. Adam rolled his eyes.

“It’s Harvard, it’s gotta be.” Adam explained and Ronan’s eyebrows shot up his forehead. Adam hit the speaker option for his voicemail and turned his head so that his good ear was facing the phone. Then with a trembling finger, he hit play.

“ _Hello there, Mr. Parrish. My name’s Zachery Madison, I’m the Harvard Alumnus that was chosen to administer your admissions interview! Congratulations on making it to this step. I was just calling to set up a date and time that works best for you. I’ll be making my way to your neck of the woods for the interview so just let me know where you’d like to meet. Thanks Adam, talk soon._ ”

Adam let out a deep breath that he hadn’t even realized he’d been holding. He looked up to see Ronan looking at the phone in consternation but the second Ronan felt Adam’s gaze on him, he cleared his expression and smiled.

“See. Told you you’d hear back.” Ronan placed a hand on Adam’s thigh in comfort and leaned forward to press a kiss to his forehead. Adam was still frozen but he felt laughter bubbling in his chest before it finally escaped his lips. Opal looked up at the sound, her own face lighting up and she jumped on him to push the top of her head into his like a cat.

He wrapped her in a tight hug, still laughing – feeling elated. Ronan gave them a fond look before turning the movie back on and they all settled into silence once more.

When the movie finished and they put a sleeping Opal to bed in Aurora’s old room, Adam and Ronan made their way to their own bedroom – Ronan’s childhood room. Once they’d brushed their teeth and changed, Adam turned to Ronan in the bed, lying on his side, good ear up. Ronan mimicked the action, and reached out a hand to softly trace Adam’s freckles with the tips of his fingers.

“Where should I suggest doing the interview?” Adam let out in a whisper, thinking of places they could go – paranoia creeping in at the thought of all the people in Henrietta who knew about him, him and his dad. Ronan seemed to read the worry on his face and he let out a sigh.

“Come on, Adam. It’s not like someone is going to walk up in the middle of the interview and say some shit.” Ronan moved his hand to the back of Adam’s head then and ran his fingers through the soft hair there. His expression taking a dark turn before speaking again, “… and if they do, I’ll kill ‘em.”

Adam huffed but couldn’t manage a smile. He pulled his bottom lip between his teeth, worrying it slightly and zoning out over Ronan’s shoulder, deep in thought.

“Parrish.” Ronan said in a too-soft voice, waiting until Adam met his eyes before continuing, “It’ll be fine.”

“I know it’s stupid, I just don’t want anything to mess this up. If I fail, I want to know it’s because of me, and me alone. Not because of him.” Adam curled his lips to the side, biting at the edge of them to hold back the tremors threatening to surface as a result of his brutally honest admission. Ronan looked calm, but Adam could see the fury in his eyes. He knew what the mention of Robert Parrish did to Ronan’s lack of anger management.

Ronan took a moment to steady his emotions, and soon a look of determination took residence on his face instead. “Why don’t you have it here then?”

Adam jerked back minutely, but the hand that was still on the back of his head stopped him from going too far.

“What? Ronan… are you sure?” Adam questioned slowly. Ronan was fiercely protective of the Barns. That he was willing to have a stranger visit for Adam’s sake… well… it was more than Adam could accept. “No, no. I’ll figure it out.” He let out before Ronan could answer.

Ronan tugged at his hair and moved forward into Adam’s space to kiss him roughly on the mouth, his lips communicating his surety and immovable decision.

“I’m serious. Tell him to come here.” Ronan murmured against Adam’s lips before pulling back and leveling him with another tense gaze. “You can use my mom’s old office. Dad’s is a fucking pigsty – filled with dream shit, but mom kept hers squeaky clean.”

Adam knew he could never change Ronan’s mind once it was made up. So he simply grabbed a hold of Ronan’s pajama shirt and tugged him roughly until he got with the program and shifted into straddling Adam’s hips. Ronan balanced himself above Adam with his hands digging into the pillow on either side of Adam’s head.

Adam pulled him the rest of the way down and kissed him greedily, unable to thank him with words alone.

A few moments later and Adam was making quick work removing Ronan’s belt, the sweat on his hands making him fumble with the button and zipper in his haste. Ronan brought his lips to Adam’s good ear and whispered hotly, “You know, this isn’t why I offered to let you use the Barns.”

Adam chuckled at the teasing and let his hand slip under the waistband of Ronan’s boxer-briefs, letting out another chuckle at Ronan’s sharp intake of breath. “Do you want me to stop?” Adam said cheekily, biting at Ronan’s neck but pausing in his other ministrations.

“Fuck you, Parrish.” Ronan mumbled, unable to muster any real heat behind the words.

“Okay.” Adam agreed and delighted in the full body shiver it elicited from his boyfriend.

~~~

Ronan was cleaning. It wasn’t a particularly easy task, with Opal following behind him at every corner and leaving destruction in her wake – right where he’d _already cleaned_.

Finally he was forced to allow her to eat some of the cardboard boxes they kept in storage, just to keep her busy so he could finish tidying up. If only his mom could see him now. Adam was leaving work early to meet with the Harvard guy at the Barns at 4:00pm. It was almost 3:30pm.

Adam had had a bit of trouble convincing the guy to meet him at the Barns at first, since apparently there was a rule that the interview had to take place in public and not at private residences. Adam managed to convince the guy that the Barns was more like a farm than a house. Not exactly the truth, no, but it did the trick.

He’d just finished shoving muddy shoes into the coat closet by the door when Adam showed up. Ronan straightened from his crouch to kiss him hello. He noticed Adam’s lips were a dark red, as if he’d been chewing on them all day. He undoubtedly had been.

Adam disappeared upstairs to change into his interview outfit and Ronan rounded on Opal in the kitchen.

“Listen here runt. This is a very important interview for Adam, alright? You know the rules. You stay hidden.” Ronan grabbed the cardboard box from her so she’d pay attention; it was covered in spit and torn to shreds, “And stop making everything a mess. At least until the stranger leaves, got it?” Opal cocked her head to the side. Luckily, she didn’t have her crazy eyes today; Ronan could always tell when Opal was in one of her more mischievous moods.

“Yes.” She answered in English instead of Latin or the dream language. It was a good sign, so he bent down to ruffle her hair and gave her back the box as a show of good will. When he heard Adam pacing the living room, he made his way upstairs to lock Chainsaw in their room. Ronan scratched at her feathers and promised her he’d be back to let her out soon. She cawed a few times, but overall seemed unbothered.

Ronan heard the doorbell and he kicked himself for not staying downstairs to calm Adam down before this Zachery guy showed up. He heard the front door open as he made it to the stairs and took them down quietly so as not to interrupt.

From his vantage point, he could see the man through the open door. He was a clean-cut but handsome man wearing an easy, friendly smile and his hair was styled to perfection. He had an air about him that reminded Ronan of Gansey but the pristine way he held himself and his immaculate clothes reminded him also of Declan.

Adam awarded the man’s introductions with a blinding grin and an outstretched hand. Ronan caught the way Zachery flushed at the sight of Adam’s smile and it made his jaw tighten in annoyance. Zachery held onto Adam’s hand a touch too long, his gaze dropping down Adam’s front when Adam turned to welcome him in.

Ronan made his footfalls a little heavier when he started moving down the steps again, unable to help himself. Zachery startled at seeing another person but he recovered quickly.

“Ah, Zachery, this is Ronan.” Zachery held his hand out to Ronan as well but _their_ handshake was over in a flash, which made Ronan’s eye twitch. Adam beckoned Zachery to follow him to the office that Ronan had cleaned earlier and Ronan made himself scarce.

He found Opal almost through her cardboard-y meal, still sitting on the floor in the kitchen. He shook his head at her dotingly and pondered what to do next. He thought about dreaming out in the long barn but felt he shouldn’t risk doing it when there was a stranger nearby.

After a moment, he wandered back into the living room and grabbed a magazine off the coffee table – a new one that Opal hadn’t ruined yet – and browsed through it.

Ronan was distracted by the sound of scrapping against wood, knowing that Opal was skulking about somewhere in the room. He looked around but couldn’t see her. He hoped she wasn’t getting bored, not when Adam was one good interview away from his dreams coming true. Ronan heard the coat closet squeaking open and got up to investigate. He just made it through the threshold when Opal finished tugging on her tall rain boots. The ones Ronan had dreamt for her to cover her hairy legs and hooves.

“Opal. Why are you putting those on?” Ronan narrowed his eyes suspiciously. She only had to wear the boots when she was going to say hello to someone, but today she knew she was meant to be staying hidden.

Opal jumped onto her feet excitedly and ran through the hall into the living room. Ronan ran after her, cursing under his breath. He should’ve locked her up with Chainsaw. _Shit_ , he should’ve just locked her up _instead of_ Chainsaw. He could see her reaching for the handle of his mom’s office and he pointed a finger in her direction.

“Don’t. You. Dare.” Ronan warned. Opal smiled wild, an evil looking thing, and turned the handle. Ronan tripped over himself trying to make his way to her fast enough to snatch her from the room. Unfortunately, all he accomplished was tackling her to the ground, moving sideways to take the brunt of the fall. Opal giggled from beside him, as if that’d been a fun little game they should play again.

“Oh!” Ronan heard Zachery laugh along with Opal, good-naturedly, “I didn’t know your brother had a kid. Hello!” Zachery waved to Opal who stuck her tongue out at him before running out of the room again.

Ronan stood and brushed the invisible dirt from his black jeans, shooting a confused look to Adam who looked equally bemused.

“Sorry, Zachery. Ronan is actually my boyfriend.” Adam scratched the back of his head looking downward at the desk. Since Adam was looking away, he missed the look of disappointment on Zachery’s face. It made Ronan’s hackles rise to realize the man had just been fishing for information. No chance did he actually think the two of them were related. Zachery plastered a pleasant look on his face a millisecond later before Adam looked up.

“Oh, my apologies. So, _you two_ have a daughter?” He asked politely, and Adam choked a little, spluttering incoherently. Ronan would laugh if the interview wasn’t so important and currently being interrupted by his presence.

“Opal’s my little cousin from Syracuse, she’s just with us for the summer.” Ronan explained, “I’m gonna…” Ronan pointed a thumb behind him and made his exit, mumbling an apology before closing the door.

He found Opal already gathering up the trash from the kitchen, knowing that what she’d done was wrong.

“Oh nu-uh, don’t you think that’s getting you out of trouble.” Ronan chided.

An hour later, the interview was finally done and Ronan stood from his place on the couch to see Zachery out with Adam. Zachery once again held on a little too long to Adam’s hand during their parting handshake. Ronan stared daggers into the side of his head as he did so, but was careful to have a blank expression when Zachery turned to him.

Zachery looked beyond them and he waved a goodbye to Opal as well. Ronan and Adam turned simultaneously to give Opal matching scathing looks, but she just crouched back behind the couch with a yelp.

“Thanks again Zachery!” Adam said congenially.

“It was my pleasure, let’s try and do it again sometime after you get in.” Zachery winked at Adam and took off down the steps. Adam shut the door with a flourish and let out a noise of victory.

“That went amazing! I think I’ve really got a shot!” Adam jumped into Ronan’s arms and Ronan caught him easily. Adam was pressing quick kisses all over Ronan’s face. Opal scurried over during the commotion and was hugging at Adam’s legs to join in on the celebration. Adam picked her up and spun her around before hugging her back, close to his chest.

“I take it you’re not mad at the runt for barging in.” Ronan put his hands on his hips at the smarmy expression on Opal’s face.

“Nah, honestly, I’m kinda glad you both did. He was laying it on pretty thick before you guys barged in and I told him you were my boyfriend.” Ronan grunted and Adam rolled his eyes but with an affectionate smile on his face.

“You could have just told him before we came in.” Ronan sounded petulant, even to his own ears.

Adam’s eyes sparkled and he had the same mischievous look that Opal always got before she did something crazy or ill-disciplined. “But the interview was going so well.” Adam teased and winked defiantly at Ronan.

It was Ronan’s turn to splutter and he pulled Adam in by his elbow to kiss the side of his head before pushing it away roughly in retribution, Adam snickering all the while. Adam set Opal down on the floor then and she ran off quickly.

“Dick.” Ronan scoffed and crossed his arms over his chest. Adam grabbed at Ronan’s sides and bit at his lips in contemplation while pulling him in.

“Yes, please.” Adam whispered hotly in Ronan’s ear, his breath ghosting over the sensitive skin there.

“Goddamn you, Adam Parrish.”

**Author's Note:**

> Come say hi on [Tumblr](https://victorialovesstiles.tumblr.com/). Feel free to send prompts my way through the asks :)


End file.
